The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) is concerned that the N35,000 salary award that the Federal Government had been providing to workers to help them cope with the economic fallout from the elimination of fuel subsidies has been discontinued.
On Thursday, the employees said that of the six months that they had been promised, the Federal Government had only paid for one.
In a statement provided to DAILY POST, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, the National Coordinator of FWF, stated that the workers are going through difficult times as a result of the gasoline subsidy being removed.
He pointed out that although prices are still rising and a bag of rice now costs more than N60,000, the minimum wage has stayed at N30,000 per month.
Workers for the federal government have endured difficult times all throughout the country ever since the fuel subsidy was eliminated. The mounting crises of living expenses and the ongoing depreciation of our naira have rendered our take-home income useless. During this time, the cost of products and services has tripled, while salaries have stayed the same.
We are shocked to learn that the federal government has discontinued the meagre 35,000 naira salary award that it had unwillingly handed to federal employees to help them weather the economic catastrophe brought on by the elimination of subsidies. Out of the six months promised, just one month was paid by the federal government.
“As federal employees, we feel that the federal government has abandoned us. Our employer has treated us unfairly and dishonestly. We haven’t been given the respect we deserve. We should be entitled to a reasonable income because we are citizens and not beggars. As government employees, we feel deceived.
Financial embarrassment has befallen civil personnel. The monthly minimum wage has stayed at 30,000 naira, despite the fact that everything is becoming more and more expensive—a bag of rice now costs more than 60,000 naira.
“Unfortunately, most of these issues—delayed salaries, workers being denied pay, unpaid promotion arrears, etc.—occurred during this time frame,” he stated.
